Getting Really Discouraged.


EpsilonXIII's avatar
Hi guys,
ever since I've gotten my graphics tablet, I've been feeling really discouraged, because of how awesome the community artwork is. I want to be a really successful artist when I grow up, and seeing all these great artists are really discouraging me. It's not just dA, It's also extremely famous people I look up to too, like Hayao Miyazaki, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Hironobu Sakaguchi, that make me wonder: "How in the hell did they get to where they are today!?". Now after seeing what this tablet is capable of I have artistic BSOD (i.e I can't think of anything to draw, and when I can, I just can't draw it.).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, I'm plateauing after realizing how hard it is to achieve my dream.

Don't get me wrong,I'm not all depressed about it, but it's really bothering me.

Hope someone can reply,

Emmanuel Ngene
Comments56
Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
ShadowStone13's avatar
Great artists develop with time and passion.
However, you also need to grow comfortable with your new art medium. You can't really begin to devote yourself to whatever art you are working on until you are familiar with the medium.

To take a non visual arts example, a musician cannot truly master and enjoy creating and playing music if they are still uncomfortable with basics like finger positions and such.

I know from the experiences of others and myself that digital art is difficult to transition into, if you've only done more traditional art before. Not only do you need to get used to the tablet you are using, but you also need to grow familiar with whatever program you are drawing in. SAI, photoshop, GIMP... It takes time to grow accustomed to the details in each program.
---
Don't get frustrated with yourself. Keep on practicing and improving yourself. And if you need anything, deviantart is a fantastic place to get advice, critiques, etc. Most artists here would be glad to help those who ask for it.

Good luck, and keep drawing!
EpsilonXIII's avatar
Thank you so much for you advice
:thanks::thanks::thanks:
ShadowStone13's avatar
:) np
I'm sure almost everyone gets those moments. I certainly do.

I hope you'll keep drawing and improving yourself, keeping an open ear and mind.
Rene-L's avatar
Inspiration comes to mind, you mentioned that you look up other artists and wonder how they reached where they are, the answer is: just like you. Everyone starts somewhere.
Amberissa's avatar
Don't get discouraged, be inspired if you look up to their work. Remember, today's great artists, they all started out like you. They worked extremely hard to get to where they are now. It all depends on how much you want it. I personally know one secret of them.

Do the thing you love to do the most! And own it.

Blow people away with each artwork you make. Give them the feeling that someday you'll be as great as the artists you look up to. Be strong in what you believe, then you'll get far : )
Glori305's avatar
When you can not think of anything to draw, work on your problem areas. If you are bad with hands, get a bunch of refrence pic's of hands and go to town. If you are bad at buildings, do some 1, 2 and 3 point perspective work. How the great artists got that way was starting simple, and building up. BTW you have a bunch of anime/manga artists there, and they usually start with realism, then move to cartoon styles. And if you believe you can, or believe you can not, you are right. So as long as you are sitting there saying "I can never be that good" you are right, and if you are working on your skills, saying "with enough practice, critique and effort I can be as good as them" you are right.
EpsilonXIII's avatar
I see what you mean, thanks for your help!
TsurugiNoMai's avatar
walt disney quotes: [link]

i have the same problem. i have also been reading disneys bio, and he took nothing and made what we all know and see today.

the power is in you to create. it takes time, but NEVER GIVE UP. keep at it. learn, learn everything.
EpsilonXIII's avatar
Wow, thanks a lot!
:thanks:
TsurugiNoMai's avatar
Buniis's avatar
Don't focus on other people's work, focus on how you're improving and feel good about yourself when you try something new. It can be tough to improve but if you keep practicing, you'll eventually get it. :)
EpsilonXIII's avatar
Yeah, I bet if I keep going I'd dig myself out of the rut I'm in huh?

Thanks for your help!

:XD:
Buniis's avatar
You're welcome. :3
Gemdrop's avatar
Just keep going. That is all you can do.
I started to play piano when I was about nine. That's actually a relatively "old" age to start, most people start at a very young age, even at four years old. I liked playing from the beginning, but of course I started to wonder if I would ever become a great player. At one point when I was a bit of an angsty pre-teen, I almost quit playing. I thought I'd never be good, that it would take too much time.

Now, I can play almost anything out there. I did not only become good, but one of the best students my teacher has right now. :lol: If you keep drawing and practicing, you will succeed. One day you will look back at your old drawings and thank yourself for not giving up.
EpsilonXIII's avatar
I see what you mean.
Thanks for stopping by.
xxEvilBlondiexx's avatar
If the only people you're looking at and comparing yourself to are really amazing experienced artists when you're still learning, of course you're going to be discouraged. But if you just try to focus more on where you're at and what you can achieve in the short term, I think you'll be a lot happier with your work.

I think you should try setting small goals for yourself. Stuff you could achieve within a month or two or a couple weeks. Like learning to draw a certain pose or angle or something. And then once you reach that goal, set another, and another, and try to only focus on those accomplishments and not think too much about how far you have to go before reaching a professional level (because that shit takes a long time).
EpsilonXIII's avatar
I suppose your right, I still got a lot of learning to do. I'm gonna take your advice and try setting up short term goals for myself, see how that goes.

Thank for your help.
monkeydoodles's avatar
Perseverance is the only thing that matters when you want to achieve your goals. They've done studies on this. So, never give up. :)

And, don't put so much pressure on yourself. Have fun with your tablet, make something messy and abstract, try out different brushes and settings. Take an old drawing and color it digitally.
EpsilonXIII's avatar
That's true, I was stressing myself out to the point
that I forgot that my favorite thing to do was fun.
Thank you for the help!

:hug:
monkeydoodles's avatar
Sheridan-J's avatar
You're only 14. Got PLENTY of room for improvement! At this point, just have fun with it and don't take it so seriously, or you WILL set yourself up for frustration and discouragment.

Please, indulge yourself in the crap I drew at 16.
FIRSTxAIDxKIT's avatar